Show ContentsColbert History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Colbert is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Colbert comes from the Norman first name Colbert or Culbert, which arrived in England in the 11th century.

Early Origins of the Colbert family

The surname Colbert was first found in Cheshire and Lancashire where they were granted lands by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Colbert family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colbert research. Another 150 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1205, 1500 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Colbert History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colbert Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Culbert, Colbert, Culbertson, Colbertson, Culberts, Colberts, Coulbert, Culbart, Culbirt and many more.

Early Notables of the Colbert family

More information is included under the topic Early Colbert Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colbert Ranking

In the United States, the name Colbert is the 1,316th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Colbert is ranked the 632nd most popular surname with an estimated 72 people with that name. 2

Ireland Migration of the Colbert family to Ireland

Some of the Colbert family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Colbert migration to the United States +

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Colbert name or one of its variants:

Colbert Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Philip Colbert, who arrived in Virginia in 1701-1702 3
Colbert Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Robert Colbert, aged 54, who landed in New York in 1812 3
  • Patrick Colbert, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 3
  • Mary Colbert, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1849
  • David Colbert, who settled in New York State in 1849
  • Michael Colbert, aged 40, who arrived in New York in 1854 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Colbert migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Colbert Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Colbert, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843
  • Mrs. Ellen Colbert, aged 35 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Agnes" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 4
  • Mrs. Johanna Colbert, aged 50 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John Francis" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 4
  • Miss. Grace Colbert who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Goliah" departing 21st May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 18th July 1847 but she died on board 5

Australia Colbert migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Colbert Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Andrew Colbert, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
  • Benjamin Colbert, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Britannia" in 1846 7
  • Thomas Colbert, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Canton" in 1846 8
  • Michael Colbert, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Canton" in 1846 8
  • Edmund Colbert, aged 36, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Isle of Thanet" 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Colbert (post 1700) +

  • Stephen Tyrone Colbert (b. 1964), American five-time Primetime Emmy Award winning political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor, best known as the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report
  • Nathan Colbert Jr. (1946-2023), American Major League Baseball first baseman (1966-1976), and coach, inductee of the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame
  • Robert Colbert (b. 1931), American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Doug Phillips on the ABC television series The Time Tunnel
  • Claudette Colbert (1903-1996), American Academy Award winning and two-time Academy Award nominated stage and film actress; she was the industry's highest-paid star in 1938 and 1942
  • Tom Colbert (b. 1949), American Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court
  • Richard Gary Colbert (1915-1973), American four-star admiral in the United States Navy
  • Craig Charles Colbert (b. 1965), former American Major League Baseball catcher
  • Patrick Keary Jerel Colbert (b. 1982), professional American football player
  • James Joseph Colbert (b. 1941), American professional golfer
  • Edwin Harris Colbert (1905-2001), distinguished American vertebrate paleontologist
  • ... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halifax Explosion
  • Ms. Hattie Colbert (1824-1917), Canadian resident from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 10
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. William F. Colbert, American 2nd Class passenger from New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 11
  • Mrs. Helena M. Colbert, (née Sherlock), American 2nd Class passenger from New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 11
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Patrick Colbert (d. 1912), aged 24, Irish Third Class passenger from Kilkinlea, Limerick who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 12


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 19)
  5. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 69)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRITANNIA 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Britannia.htm
  8. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CANTON 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Canton.htm
  9. South Australian Register Wednesday 25th October 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Isle of Thanet 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/isleofthanet1854.shtml
  10. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  11. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  12. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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